Middenheim
Middenheim is a major city in The Empire. It is most known for two things of which the first is that it is the center of the Ulric Religion which is a type of Empire Worship but very different, and the second is that it is built on top of a mountain and can only be assailed through four gates, of which 3 can be raised at will. Middenheim is a the capital city of the province of Middenlandinthe Empire. Commonly known as The City of the White Wolf, it is second in influence only to the Empire capital Aldorf. Middenheim is extremely powerful in this way as it hosts a single vote when it comes to the electing of a new Emperor, and this number rises to two if you count the Head of the Cult of Ulric of whom also stands within Middenheim. Middenheim is the center of the Utogens of whom are an offshoot of the overall Tuetonic Germans that dominate the lands of The Empire. The Utogens are quite close to the overall Teutonics but they are taller and more stocky due to the harsh landscape that they have been accustomed to living within. The Utogens have massive numbers within Middenheim, and it is by far the largest concentration of their people throughout Europe and the entire planet. A half century before the Empire was established by Sigmar, Artur, chief of the Teutogen tribe, discovered the rock. As the Teutogens were not renowned as great builders, Artur enlisted the aid of the Dwarfs forced from their ancient home in the Middle Mountains to tunnel up through the rock and build a fortress. A century passed before the work was complete. In that time Artur had fought and lost to Sigmar in single combat, but by the 60th year of the Empire the fortress was complete and became the home of the Teutogens. History Legend According to the Liber Lupus (Book of the Wolf), the Cult Ulric is one of the oldest Human religions in the world. Millennia ago, Ulric is said to have led a tribe of Humans to a boundless, forested land. The tribe, called the Teutogens by most modern scholars, was wild and savage, and took to slaughtering the indigenous forest people to prove their worth. These bloody tribesmen quickly spread through the forests, butchering for many generations, exalting their God with every kill.After uncounted years of war and conquest, Ulric led his folk to a great, flat-topped mountain, hidden deep in the darkest recesses of the frigid north. To light their way, the God struck the mountain with his fist and a roaring, silvery flame sprung forth. The Teutogens followed this unearthly glow, until, in the heart of winter, they arrived at the base of the hbly mountain. Hungry White Wolves hunted there and let loose blood-curdling howls as the Humans invaded their territory.The cold, weary tribesmen hefted their weapons and howled in return, unwilling to back away, no matter how tired or sore they were. Ulric, pleased with this,bathed them all in bright, white light, which panicked the wolves, t and caused them to flee. The Teutogens,in awe of the hallowed place, immediately swore tobuild the greatest of temples, and to forever worship Ulric, their God of Winter, War and Wolves Actual Founding A half century before the Empire was established by Sigmar, Artur, chief of the Teutogen tribe, discovered the rock. As the Teutogens were not renowned as great builders, Artur enlisted the aid of the Dwarfs forced from their ancient home in the Middle Mountains to tunnel up through the rock and build a fortress. A century passed before the work was complete. In that time Artur had fought and lost to Sigmar in single combat, but by the 60th year of the Empire the fortress was complete and became the home of the Teutogens. Temple of Ulric Wulcan, the son of Artur and High Priest of the Cult of Ulric was granted a vision by Ulric which inspired him to consecrate a temple to Ulric. The massive temple took 50 years to complete, but Wulcan lived to see it finished. Tens of centuries later the cold fire on the mountain still blazes with blue-white rage, but it is now hidden from sight by the massive Ulrican temple built so long ago. Called the Eternal Flame, it is of extreme importance to the cult, and pilgrims arrive from far and wide to witness it. Many believe Middenheim, the great capital that surrounds the temple, can never fall while the hoary fire still burns, and the recent failed siege during the Storm of Chaos has only strengthened this belief. After all, where Valten, Sigmar Reborn,disappeared when the war ended, the Eternal Flame burns on, and always will. Sigmar See Also : Sigmar Goverment Elector Count See Also : Boris Todbringer Middenheim is ruled currently by Boris Todbringer, Elector Count of Middenland, a descendant of Gunthar von Bildhofen, brother of Magnus the Pious. Graf Boris himself sought to become Emperor, but accepted the ascension of Karl Franz and is now one of his most loyal supporters. Boris is protected by the Knights Panther, a secular order of knights dedicated to the eradication of mutants. The knights, together with their associated sergeants and men-at-arms, are a key part of Middenheim's army. The Graf The Graf rules the city within the context of a semi-democratic government developed by his forebears. Technically, he enacts all laws within the city, but he has many advisers, and interested parties (merchants, artisans, religious leaders, and others) can make recommendations to him through the numerous established public commissions (one for nearly every aspect of city life), or even directly in some cases. The city's civil service is complex and unwieldy. There are dozens of public commissions, the purpose of many of them, although they nonetheless still exist, have been forgotten in the mists of time. The most important commissions as far as the city's government is concerned, are the Komission for Commerce, Trade and Taxation and the Worshipful Guild of Legalists. Other major Komissions are the Komission for Public Works, the Komission for Health, Education, and Welfare, and the Komission for Elven, Dwarven, and Halfling Interests. Grand Masters The most senior of the Knights of the Inner Circle, and the nominal heads of each of the knightly orders, are the grand masters. The grand masters are some of the most well-known military men of the Empire, admired by the aristocracy (to whom they invariably belong)and common people alike.The grand master is expected to be a paragon of knighthood, and as such must display both great physical prowess and knowledge on subjects such as history and warfare.In times of war the grand masters regularly take to the field of battle alongside their knights, inspiring them with the same sort of awe the knights themselves inspire in the common soldiery.A grand master is always at the forefront of an army when it marches to war, leading his fellow knights, and often the entire army, into battle. He is usually amongst the most trusted of military advisors and generals, and when not engaged in warfare is often charged with planning for it. A grand master of a templar order is often a leading personality within a religious cult as well, commanding total loyalty from its warriors. Points of Interest The city stands upon a flat-topped mountainous, sheer pinnacle of rock known as the Fauschlag ("Fist-Strike"), or Ulricsberg ("Ulric's Mountain"), rising five hundred feet from the surrounding Drakwald Forest, and is reachable only by four highways that run along colossal viaducts. Middenheim may seem invulnerable, but the rock it stands upon is riddled with ancient tunnels, Dwarven and otherwise, that are home to things best not thought about too closely. Eternal Flame Wulcan, the son of Artur and High Priest of the Cult of Ulric was granted a vision by Ulric which inspired him to consecrate a temple to Ulric. The massive temple took 50 years to complete, but Wulcan lived to see it finished. Tens of centuries later the cold fire on the mountain still blazes with blue-white rage, but it is now hidden from sight by the massive Ulrican temple built so long ago. Called the Eternal Flame, it is of extreme importance to the cult, and pilgrims arrive from far and wide to witness it. Many believe Middenheim, the great capital that surrounds the temple, can never fall while the hoary fire still burns, and the recent failed siege during the Storm of Chaos has only strengthened this belief. After all, where Valten, Sigmar Reborn,disappeared when the war ended, the Eternal Flame burns on, and always will. Religion See Also : Ulric Unlike most of the Empire in Middenheim the worship of Ulric overshadows that of Sigmar. The Ar-Ulric, the highest priest in the Ulrican church, is an Imperial Elector and wields tremendous temporal as well as spiritual power. Ulric is the god of wolves, battle and winter. Long before the Empire was founded by Sigmar, he was worshipped by the soldiers and warriors of the Old World. Ulric is by far the most irate god of the humans, but at the same time he embodies courage, strength and power. In the pantheon of the old gods he is the brother of Taal. He is worshipped predominantly in the north of the Empire, in the provinces of Hannover, West Prussia, and especially Middenland and the city of Middenheim. Worshippers of Ulric preserve the spirit and traditions of their pre-Imperial ancestors, and the leadership of the cult of Ulric is able to trace its roots back over three millenia. Army Ulric’s insistence upon hand to hand combat, and his hatred of gunpowder weapons, is a strong influence on the city’s armies. The city houses a stong contingent of knights drawn from the Knights Panther, who act as the bodyguard of the Elector Count of Middenland, and the Knights of the White Wolf, templars of Ulric. The city also houses a contingent of Kislevite mercenary cavalry – these are ‘loaned’ by the Tsarina in exchange for a unit of Knights Panther. Knights of the White Wolf See Also : The Knights of the White Wolf As Templars of Ulric, the White Wolves are based in Middenheim, which is the centre of the Ulrican cult. They are known for being the wildest of all the knightly orders, charging into battle with no thought for their own safety, and frequently no thought for strategy or tactics either. Their ferocity is unmatched however, and few enemies can withstand the crushing blows of their cavalry hammers”. The knights of the White Wolf also serve as the bpdy guard to the High Priests of Ulric. Each year the Grand Master and High Priest choose knights who have prooven themselves worthy on the field of battle to serve in this select unit. As body guards, they fight on foot and are known as the Teutogen Guard. The Knights of the White Wolf are based in the city of Middenheim, where they were founded following a great victory against Chaos outside the city walls. The Knights are all followers of the god Ulric who is worshipped throughout the Empire, but most notably in the northern provinces, especially Middenland. The Knights of the White Wolf are templars of Ulric. According to ancient Teutogen tradition, the High Priest Ar-Ulric is expected to raise and maintain his own force for the defence of the temple and the faith,and to honour the wolfgod in battle with their valiant deeds. Almost every temple of Ulric, from the smallest of shrines to the high temple in Middenheim, has at least one or two White Wolves stationed in it. Independent chapter houses of White Wolves do exist, but these are rare. These larger chapter houses house several units of White Wolves, the duties of which extend beyond merely guarding Ulric an interests. The templars there often venture out on military missions to take the fight to their enemies (raiding encampments of Orcs or laying siege to a necromancer's castle, for example). Wolf-Kin The Wolf-kin are fighters driven to near madness byhardship or despair. Rather than lower themselves tomorose preaching of punishment for man’s sins and theend of the world, however, followers of Ulrictraumatised in this way take a more direct approachbefitting their pragmatic and vengeful god. Gatheringtogether, they travel the roads and forests seeking outBeastmen, Orcs and evil in any form. Their anger andhatred lends them insane strength and they hack aparttheir foes with a terrible fury, oblivious to the mostinsurmountable odds in their desire to destroy thoseresponsible for the ills of the world. The Wolf-Kin are loosely organised, and anyone can join, or even simply declare themselves to be one. If they act the part, and stay alive, they are a Wolf-Kin.Female members are also known, but are substantiallyless common. Because Wolf-Kin are prone to suddenviolence, particularly when drunk, the respect most feelfor them does not extend to warm hospitality. Novillage would throw a group of Wolf-Kin out, but theywould host them in a barn, rather than in people'shomes. As a result, there is little benefit in pretendingto be Wolf-Kin, and the majority of those wanderingthe roads of the north are genuine. At present, the Wolf-kin devote most of their attentionto defeating the remaining Beastmen and Mutants fromthe armies of Chaos, although in normal times Ores,and even Human bandits, become their targets. Indeed,in the past Wolf-kin have been known to attack Imperial tax collectors as representatives of evil, butsuch incidents are glossed over these days. Swords of Ulric The Swords of Ulric are one of the many regimentsformed by and paid for by the Temple of Ulric inMiddenheim. The formidable training of the Swords of Ulric consists not of marches or weapons practice, butinstead of patrols and war parties led out of the cityinto the surrounding Drakwald. Initiates hoping to jointhe unit must accompany such excursions - only thosethat fight with honour and survive are admitted. It isleft to each soldier to equip himself in the blue andwhite colours of Middenheim. Since the regiment'sfounding, in the days when Count Mandrel rallied theEmpire behind him and became Emperor, the sons of Ulric have borne yellow shields to battle. By tradition,each shield bears a variation of the same device - a redwolf, signifying Ulric embattled. The grim northernershave little room for formal ceremony but what theylack in parade-ground discipline they make up for withsavagery on the battlefield. Category:City Category:City in The Empire Category:Utogens Category:City in Middenland